Illuminating device for instrument panels



Oct 14, 1952 J. M. RoPER z-:TAL

ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR INSTRUMENT PANELS Filed Sept. 2l, 1948 FIG. 2

Syvum/Wow JOHN M. RUPER THOMAS 0. TWIST M Patented oct. 14, 1952 .lohn M. Roper, Washington,l D. C., and'rThomasff 0. Twist,

Application September 121, 1948,

2 Claims.

(Granted under the a amended April 30,

The present invention relates to an instrument lighting system, and more particularly to an instrument lighting system adapted for use in vehicular instrument panels, and especially in aircraft instrument panels.

It is the general practice in providing a cover or shield for instrument lighting to employ a single cover hand tailored for all lighting arrangements. lt has been found that this type of shield has many disadvantages both in production and in actual use. Thus, in production, great care must be taken in tailoring the cutouts to properly t the individual instruments or the entire panel will be practically useless. Furthermore, a different cover is required for each specic arrangement of instruments. Still further, if it is desired to rearrange the instruments on the mounting panel, a new shield will be necessary. Continued use of the single cover often results in buckling of the cover thereby disrupting the efficient operation of the system.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an instrument lighting cover designed for tting to an individual instrument.

Another object is to provide an instrument lighting cover for an individual instrument that is adapted to be relocated as required when the position of the instruments are changed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an instrument lighting cover having electrical connections from a source of voltage to the lamps when the cover is secured.

Still another object is to provide an instrument lighting cover having means for preventing glare from being reflected up from the bevel surface at the bottom of the instrument.

The exact nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent from consideration of the following specification relating to the annexed drawing in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a front elevational view of a portion of an instrument board showing an instrument and a preferred embodiment of the cover of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a section of the instrument board taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modification of electrical connections.

Referring now of the cover elevational View of the cover to the drawings, wherein like Chevy Chase, Md.

serial Ndtcsizk 'v (Cl. 24U- 2.1)

et of March 3, 188s, as

reference characters designate like or correthroughout the several views, Fig. 1 a portion of a grounded instrument mounting panel of conventional type, having an instrument I2 and an individual cover or shield I3 mountedthereon. Cover I3 is retained over the instrument by means of lugs I4, or any other suitable fastening means, and has a conventional lamp socket I5, as disclosed in Grimes Patent No. 2,401,867, mounted in each upper corner thereof, the lamps I6 being disposed rearwardly of the shield as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Cover I3 has its upper portion beveled as shown at I1 in order to vmore closely surround the instrument face and to more evenly distribute the light around the face of the instrument while the lower portion is provided with a reflection baffle I8 in the rear thereof, baffle I8 being positioned close against the bevel surface of the instrument for preventing light from being reflected from the surface into the eyes of the operator. A conductor I9 is connected between one terminal of each of the lamp sockets I5 and a contact pin assembly 2|, the other terminal of each of the sockets being grounded to the panel II as disclosed in Patent No. 2,401,867 (see Fig. 2). Assembly 2| comprises an insulating member 2Ia having cutout 26a. containing contact pin 26 in contact with conductor I9.

Referring now to Fig. 4, there is shown the electrical connection between contact pin assembly 2| and the power source which is completed upon securing the cover I3 to the panel II. Mounted on panel I| is a conducting contact sheet 22, preferably of metal, surrounded by an inner and outer insulating layer, 23 and 24, respectively. Outer layer 24 has a cutout 25 in the upper portion thereof whereby securing of cover I3 to panel II causes contact pin 29 of contact pin assembly 2| to contact sheet 22, the connection between sheet 22 by wiring 22a and the power source, not shown, may be made in any suitable manner.

An alternative electrical connection is disclosed in Fig. 5, wherein one terminal of the lamp sockets are interconnected by means of a. conductor 59 and a lead 5I connected to conductor 59 is adapted to be power source. Lead 5| may be provided with a detachable connection, if desired, to act as a switch.

It is understood that the type of shield or cover may be varied in design to meet the need of different type instruments and that the shield may be made of any suitable material, preferably connected to one side of the` metallic, which is capable of being worked into the desired shape. The individual cover is particularly useful when it is desired to provide lighting for a single instrument which is separate from the other instruments on the board.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of 'any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1 The combination comprising an instrument board of electrical conducting material adapted for mounting instruments thereon, a cover for a single instrument'mounted onsaid board in grounded relation therewith and adapted to t over the face of an instrument, lamp means mounted on said cover and having one terminal thereof grounded to said cover, an insulated conducting plate positioned between said cover and board, said plate having a contact portion, .a contact pin connected to the other terminal of said lamp means and insulatedly mounted on said cover rearwardly thereof, and said pin and plate contact portion being arranged relative vto each other whereby the lamp circuit is completed when the cover is mounted on theboard with the plate positioned therebetween.

2. The combination comprising an instrument board of electrical conducting material adapted for mounting instruments thereon, a cover for a single instrument mounted on Ysaid board in grounded relation therewith and adapted to lit over the face of an instrument, lamp means mounted on and rearwardly of said cover and having one terminal thereof grounded to said cover, a conducting plate positioned between said cover and board, insulating -means provided on each side of said plate insulating the plate from the cover and board, said plate having a contact portion on the side of the plate adjacent said cover, contact pin means connected to the other terminal of said lamp means and insulatedly mounted on said cover rearwardly thereof, and said pin means contacting the plate contact portion thereby completing the lamp circuit.

JOHN M. ROPER. THOMAS O. TWIST.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,675,639 Champion July 3, 1928 1,939,130 Mills Dec. 12, 1933 v2,088,559 Kollsman July 27, 1937 2,172,765 Kollsman Sept. 12, 1939 2,210,764 Klein et al. Aug. 6, 1940 2,223,819 Curtiss et al. Dec. 3, 1940 2,259,910 Rylsky Oct. 2l, 1941 2,308,704 McNeil Jan. 19, 1943 2,401,867 Grimes June 11, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 492,092 England Sept. 12, 1938 492,258 England Sept. 12, 1938 512,295 England Aug. 31, 1939 

